Project 7 the First: The Hero's Great Come Back

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The wind was blowing gently, and the clouds are still. The stadium was silent as the audience was watching.
Bryan was feeling irritated for a moment when he realized that one of his opponents was Valerie Moore. She was his classmate. They both stared at each other intently.
"You of all people," said Bryan with disgust."
"It's not my fault that we ended up in the same class," said Valerie with a mean look. "Don't worry. After we win, we won't forget you for going back to the mortal world."
"Excuse me, Valerie, we are gonna win," said Bryan. "Don't even try begging for mercy."
"I won't," said Valerie.
Bryan whispered to his teammates, "Albert, try to spare some time for me. I need time to complete this technique."
"It's a bad day for you, but I'll do my best," said Albert.
"Thanks. Roderick, cover me as I prepare for my attack," said Bryan.
"I'll try," said Roderick.
Bryan just sat on the ground with his fingers touching it. He closed his eyes and focused as he flowed his spirit energy to the ground. He just remained like that.
Roderick stood in front of Bryan as Albert was beside him. Albert began charging at the other team.
The three members of Team Everest formed a battle formation. Valerie and Stephanie were in front while Nicole was behind them as support. Valerie took out a dagger that was hanging on her belt. Her dagger had a long chain connected to her belt. On the blade, there was an insignia engraved on it.
Valerie went charging for Albert. As they got closer for each other, Albert swung his sword; but Valerie quickly blocked it with her dagger. Albert kept swing his sword, but Valerie accuratedly blocked all his swings. Then, he summoned his other sword and swung it. Then, Valerie fell back as she dodged that swing. She leaped away from Albert and got another dagger from her belt. She threw one at Albert, but he deflected it with his sword. Then, she pulled the chain to get the dagger she threw. She quickly ran around Albert, but he chased her. Then, Albert lunged at her thrusted his sword at Valerie; but she blocked it with her dagger. She pushed away his sword. Suddenly she lunged at Albert and cut his right arm with the dagger on her left.
Albert endured the pain. As he was in agony, he noticed that the insignia on her dagger glowed red.
Valerie leaped away from Albert and returned to her position. She had smirk on her face as if she already won the battle.
"Stephanie, take care of the other one," Valerie demanded.
"My pleasure," Stephanie replied with a smirk. She ran across the arena charging at Roderick.
Albert tried to chase after her, but he was stopped by his own hand. His sword on the right was at his neck slowly pressing it. Albert was not able to control his arm. Then, he tried to push it away with his other hand; but he did not have much strength to fully push it.
"You're not going anywhere," said Valerie. "Your arm is under my control."
"What kind of cheap trick is this?" Albert asked as he struggled to push away his right arm.
"Anything my blade cuts is under my control. Since I made that cut on your arm, it is mine," Valerie said.
"Damn you," Albert said.
As Albert was struggling, Roderick was covering Bryan. Stephanie pulled out two hand fans from her back ad she was charging at Roderick. She opened her fans and flapped them. It released a huge gust that was as strong as a storm. Roderick immediately summoned a wall barrier that covered their part of the arena.
Stephanie continued to fan him. The wind pushed his barrier with force, but Roderick stood firm and blocked the attack.
"Is that what you can only do?" asked Stephanie. "It shows that you're useless in your team!"
"So what if this is the only thing I can do? My friends entrusted me to cover them. I am their ultimate defense," said Roderick as he was trying cover Bryan with all his strength. He struggled with all his might. He continued to strengthen the barrier by flowing his spirit energy to it.
"That's pathetic!" said Stephanie as she flapped her fan with great force. Then, the wind became stronger. It pushed the barrier until it gained cracks.
Roderick was not able to hold it anymore, so the barrier broke and he was blown away. Roderick hit the wall of the arena so hard that he had a hard time getting up.
"Time to take care of your friend right here," said Stephanie as she closed her fans and charged at Bryan.
As Stephanie was charging, she swung her fan like a blade. Before she could swing it at Bryan, Roderick summoned a barrier that pushed her with force.
"I told you, it doesn't matter if that is the only thing I do," said Roderick while panting. "I was entrusted to protect my friends."
"I see," said Stephanie. "Well, if you say so, then why is your other friend struggling against himself? You said that you protect your friends, but why can't you protect him?"
Roderick was thinking of an answer. He did not know what to say.
While Roderick was facing Stephanie, Albert was having a hard time pushing his arm away.
"Your other teammate looks like he's having a hard time," said Valerie.
"Shut up," said Albert.
She released a sigh and said, "This is getting boring." She pulled out her daggers again and attack Albert, but Albert kept leaping away from her.
Suddenly, Valerie cut both of his legs with her right dagger.
"Since I can't kill you, then I'll just control you to beat your own teammates," said Valerie with a grin.
Then, Albert lost control over his legs. He can only move gis left arm. Then, he began charging the other direction toward his own team. He began to swing his sword, but he warned Roderick.
Roderick was still thinking of an answer, but he was not able to reply. Albert suddenly charged at Roderick. He swung his sword, but Roderick blocked it with his barrier.
As Albert was swinging his sword to break the barrier, Stephanie also flapped her fan sending a gust that pushed the barrier. The barrier began to crack, but Roderick was persistent in strengthening his barrier. The cracks on the barrier slowly recovered. Even if Roderick was doing his best, he could not hold both of them at the same time.
"Bryan, are you done?" asked Roderick as he struggled.
"Just wait a bit longer," said Bryan briefly.
"Hurry up!" said Roderick.
"Stay strong Roderick," said Albert, trying to gain control over his limbs. "Don't give up!"
Roderick kept flowing his energy to the barrier.
As the three were fighting, the others were on the edge of their seats feeling nervous for them.
"What the hell is Bryan doing?" asked Marjorie in frustration.
"That idiot!" exclaimed Gavin. "And why is Albert attacking our side?"
"It's Valerie ability," said Shannelle. "She has two types of daggers. The right one takes control of anything it cuts, while the left curses anything she cuts. Good thing that Albert was cut with the right. If he was cut with the left, then his wounds will never heal."
"How can that be cured?" Lance asked.
"The only way to break the curse is to defeat her," said Shannelle.
Marjorie stood up fron her seat and stood closer to the window. "Let me in there! I wanna show them who's boss!"
"Sit down, Marjorie," said Shannelle. "You're covering the view."
Lance was worried. He wanted to help them, but he can't. He just has to have faith in them.